NFL VP: Wes Welker's hit on Aqib Talib was legal

Jan. 22, 2014
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New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick before the AFC Championship Game against the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver on Jan. 19, 2014. / Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports

NFL vice president of officiating Dean Blandino acknowledged Wednesday that although Welker appeared to be trying to run into Talib, it was still a legal play â?? at least for now.

Talib was covering Demaryius Thomas when he collided with Welker, suffering a rib injury that knocked him out early in the Patriots' 26-16 loss in Sunday's AFC Championship Game.

"You'll see Welker run the route, and he does appear to angle back towards Talib and come into his path, creating that contact," Blandino said in his weekly appearance on NFL Network.

"Now, we have to look to see when was the ball touched in relation to the contact? You'll see here the contact occurs, the ball is touched almost simultaneously â?? we don't have a foul for pass interference. The other thing â?? is it unnecessary roughness? Under the current rules it isn't."

Pick plays are common in the NFL. Most just don't have that much contact.

Given the injury, Blandino said he expects the NFL's competition committee to examine the play in the offseason. He also said he has spoken with Belichick.

"There was communication with Bill and we talked about the situation and the play," Blandino said, "and obviously, there's a difference of opinion there and something that we'll continue to look at during the offseason."